A Tale of Two Quotes

“I’m excited, and a little sad. But we’ll still have fun, right?” Timothy, about our first Masters spring break without his older brothers." April 2, 2016

On my desk is a blue folder with MASTERS written on the tab. On the inside cover is a  list of all the places where we have vacationed during Masters week. In those early years, when the boys were young, we went to Florida a lot. Because we were still confined to a school schedule, it made sense to select locations within driving distance (Florida, South Carolina) and save the longer trips (Italy, New York, California) for the summertime. 

So many spring breaks over the years. So many memories. So many stories.

But Masters week does not correspond with college spring breaks, so as time went by first Nicholas, and then Jonathan, were no longer free to travel with us. Our spring breaks went from five people, to four, then to three.  We still had Timothy for several more years.

But then he left for college, too, so this year, for the first time ever, there was no one sitting in the back seat of the car when we backed down the driveway. There was no one to forget their swimsuit or ask to go to the bathroom just half an hour after leaving home. We did not have to bring car snacks or remind everyone to pack their toothbrush.

The morning we left, a Facebook Memory reminded me of Timothy’s quote from so many years ago. I read it aloud to Joe but changed it  to reflect our New Normal of a Masters week without kids.

“I’m excited, and a lot sad. But we’ll still have fun, right?” Me to Joe, about our first Masters spring break without the boys.

In the end, our Spring Break 2023 will be remembered for two reasons: it was the first Masters week without the boys, and it was the first time our spring break was interrupted. When we received the news that Joe’s 95-year-old father was in the hospital, we left Tennessee after just three days and drove 10 hours to Virginia Beach where we spent the rest of the week.  

It was the spring break that was and wasn’t. It was a spring break without our boys. But it was all good. We went on three beautiful hikes before leaving Tennessee, we were able to spend time with Joe's father and his siblings, and Papa rallied. 

Here's to next April!

 Spring Break: Through the Years

1999 Orlando

2000 Orlando

2001 Tennessee/Missouri

2002 Orlando

2003 Myrtle Beach

2004 Palm Coast, FL

2005 Hilton Head

2006 Orlando

2007 Myrtle Beach

2008 Orlando

2009 Palm Coast, FL

2010 Washington DC

2011 Orlando

2012 Palm Coast, FL

2013 Orlando

2014 Myrtle Beach

2015 Hilton Head

2016 Orlando

2017 Virginia Beach/Myrtle Beach

2018 Orlando

2019 New Orleans

2020 Blowing Rock, NC (delayed until November because of Covid)

2021 Gulfport, MS

2022 Sedona, AZ

2023 Crossville, TN/ Virginia Beach